Building a Championship Culture (Not Just a Winning Record)

When I took over as head coach in 2019, we had a 15-35 record over the previous three seasons. Four years later, we won the state championship. Here's what changed.

Culture Eats Talent for Breakfast

I inherited some talented players, but they didn't play as a team. My first priority wasn't X's and O's—it was establishing non-negotiables:

  • Be on time (early is on time, on time is late)

  • Respect everyone (teammates, opponents, umpires, facilities)

  • Outwork everyone (effort is 100% controllable)

  • Celebrate others (genuine enthusiasm for teammates' success)

    • These became our culture pillars. Break them once, you sit. Break them twice, you're done for the season.

    Player-Led Leadership

    Coaches set the culture, but players enforce it. I selected 4 team captains based on character, not talent:

  • They ran warmups and conditioning

  • They held teammates accountable (not me)

  • They organized team bonding outside practice

  • They were the first to arrive and last to leave

    • When the captains bought in, everyone followed.

    The "No Star" Rule

    We had two elite players who could have gone D1. I made it clear from day one: nobody is bigger than the team.

    Our best player was late to practice once. She sat the next game. Benched. The team learned that the rules applied to everyone, and she earned massive respect for accepting the consequence without complaint.

    Celebrate the Little Things

    We didn't just celebrate wins. We celebrated:

  • Great defensive plays (even in losses)

  • Teammates encouraging each other

  • Improvement in practice

  • Academic achievements

  • Community service

    • Recognition creates positive reinforcement. Players will repeat behaviors that get acknowledged.

    Embrace Adversity

    We went 8-12 my first year. But I told the team we were building something bigger. We celebrated our efforts, not just outcomes. We learned from every loss.

    By year 3, we were 22-8. Year 4, we won it all.

    Key Takeaways

  • Culture is your foundation—build it before worrying about plays

  • Establish non-negotiables and enforce them without exception

  • Empower player leadership to hold the team accountable

  • Nobody is above the team rules, no matter how talented

  • Celebrate effort and character as much as results

Talent wins games. Culture wins championships.